MRCP PACES Taking A History
  • History of presenting complaint
    • Define presenting complaint
    • Onset
    • Whether it is worsening or static
    • Exacerbating / relieving factors
    • Whether it has happened before
    • How it is affecting the patient’s life
    • What the patient may think it may be due to
  • Past medical history
    • Do you have any medical problems?
    • Do you see a doctor regularly for anything?
    • Have you ever been admitted to hospital?
    • Have you had any operations before?
    • Consider asking about PMH specific to the presenting complaint
  • Drug history
    • Are you allergic to any medication?
    • What medication do you take?
    • Do you take any over-the-counter medicines?
    • Do you take any traditional medicines?
    • Do you use the oral contraceptive pill?
    • Do you or have you ever taken any party drugs?
  • Family history
    • Does anything run in the family?
    • Are you parents alive and well?
    • Do you have any siblings? Are they well?
    • If suspicion of inherited disease is high and FHx is negative: do you know if you may be adopted?
  • Social history
    • How has this been affecting your life?
    • What do you do for a living?
    • Who do you live with at home?
    • Do you or have you ever smoked?
    • What about alcohol?
  • Sexual history if relevant to the presenting complaint
    • Are you sexually active?
    • How many partners do you have?
    • Are they male or female?
    • Do you use protection?
    • Do you partake in penetrative or receptive sex?
  • Systems enquiry
    • Have you had any headaches or fits?
    • Any chest pain?
    • Do you feel breathless when you walk?
    • Do you have a cough?
    • Do you get any tummy pains?
    • Any diarrhoea or constipation?
    • Have you lost any weight?
    • Do you notice that your stools have changed colour, or there is blood in them?
    • Have you noticed that you are passing urine more often than usual?
    • Do you have any pain or difficulty in passing urine?
    • Have you noticed any blood in your urine?
    • Have you noticed any leg swelling?
  • Concerns: is there anything that you would like me to address today that we have not covered?
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